Walter Cronkite, the longtime CBS TV news anchor who was known as "The Most Trusted Man in America," is gravely ill, according to media reports.

The Web site Mediabistro.com cited several unnamed sources at CBS who say that Cronkite, 92, is near death and that the network has begun updating information for his obituary.

Cronkite anchored "CBS Evening News" for 19 years, stepping aside in 1981 when the network promoted Dan Rather to his position. He got his start as a correspondent for United Press International covering World War II, and he joined CBS at a Washington correspondent in 1950. He became anchor in 1962 and helped make CBS the highest rated news report in the nation.

Walter Cronkite, CBS TV's legendary news anchor who was known as "The Most Trusted Man in America," is gravely ill, according to media reports.

The Web site Mediabistro.com cited several unnamed sources at CBS who said that Cronkite, 92, is near death and that the network began updating information for his obituary more than a week ago.

Cronkite spent 19 years anchoring "CBS Evening News." He retired in 1981, when the network replaced him with Dan Rather. Cronkite started his career as a battlefield correspondent for United Press International covering World War II. In 1950, he joined CBS as a Washington correspondent.

He became anchor in 1962 of the 15-minute "CBS Evening News," which became the first 30-minute network newscast the following year. Cronkite helped make the CBS news report the highest rated in the nation.

Cronkite also coined one of the nation's most well-known catchphrases with his nightly sign-off, "And that's the way it is..."

According to TVNewser, Cronkite was asked in an interview in 2006 if he ever thought about death.

He reponded: "When you get to be 89, you have to think about it a little bit. It doesn't prey on me, and it doesn't keep me awake nights. Occasionally, when I'm upset about something else, I think, 'My gosh, I don't know if I should do this or that because I'm not sure I'll be here that long to enjoy it.'"